Page:Journal of an Expedition 1794.djvu/13

Rh infantry paraded and did the same; the artillery fired a salute and many faces were noticed with pleasure.

Here are some very fine barracks, sufficient to hold men, built last war, of brick, two stories, and  feet long and well covered. Our troops have pitched their camp near them on fine ground. This town is pleasantly situated, tolerably well built, and contains about houses. It is the county-town of Cumberland Co; has a court house, goal, buildings for public purposes, a market, tolerably well supplied, a college, under the care of the famous Dr. Nisbet, well endowed and consisting of 150 scholars,—churches, many of the inhabitants polite and very much attached to our cause, though in the country not so much so, but I here find the approach of the troops has had a very great influence on the people. It had been the uniform opinion that our troops never would march—that is among the opposers of government—and indeed the spirit with which they have turned out, has exceeded the expectations of its friends. The country through which we marched this day is very fine, producing blackwalnut, locust and very fine white oaks, more meadows than we had been used to see, good tillage, houses well built of stone, good barns, but not very thickly inhabited, a greater mixture of inhabitants, Dutch, Irish, Scotch and Natives. The better informed here, as in all other parts, are for the support of government, without regard to the locality of the law. Here we fell in with a number of the militia officers, particularly Gen. Buchanan. The officers are generally for turning out, but the men are very backward owing to the multitude of scandalous stories imposed upon them by the wicked and designing, the absurdity of them, if possible, exceeds those told in Berks County. One is that each plough is to pay a dollar, that each wagon going into Philadelphia is to pay a dollar, that for each bushel of wheat that is ground 6d is to be paid to the mill, besides a great variety of such stuff, but what is surprising Gen. Buchanan tells me he has been called upon by some good well-meaning men, to know the truth, they believing the stories.

By such like stories, the anti-federalists in all parts of the Union, are endeavoring to render the minds of the people sour and dissatisfied with the government, and sorry I am, that Americans seem so fond of the idea of revolutions, and changing government, that the flame of alteration catches with avidity. We are here led to believe that the majority of the people over the mountain, are disposed to support government, and acquiesce in the law, and that we shall have no trouble with them—that this may be the case we all wish—that they may return to a proper sense of their duty would be much more grateful to us than having to compel them by arms, but unless they do, we most certainly shall try our strength.

27th. Troops pleasantly encamped; the water very bad, being the lime stone country, our men and horses cannot drink it, and I fear many of them will be sick from that cause. Thus far the troops have been remarkably healthy. Heaven grant a continuance; they seem very well satisfied,